Final Fantasy XIII αΩ
by ShadowMeowth
Summary: "As the holy haven returns to the heavens the children of God shall return. Fear not though, mortal souls, for those who once defeated God shall answer the call to arms again." It's been a year and a half after the end and the new beginning. But an ancient, unknown prophecy haunts the chosen ones once again. Their story was far from over. It has a new beginning and a new end.
1. α - Prologue

_**A/N:** Welcome to my new story! This is actually a quite a big project, the whole sequel for _**Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII**_ and thus the whole _**XIII**_ trilogy. I've been working for months now planning the stuff and plot and everything and I think it's time to begin. I have not finished yet the planification, and I'm somewhat busy with university, but I promised I'd start it this month, and so here it is! If everything goes alright, perhaps I'll end the first chapter soon. It depends on how much university messes with me. _

_The Ultimania revealed that the new world seen in the ending of _**LR: FFXIII**_ isn't exactly Earth, but some kind of fantasy counterpart. Same layout, maybe geography, but it's not our world. So I spent quite some time planning this counterpart: Zemya. I won't say anything more for now._

_The ending pretty much showed us the pairings of the game. So, going with it, the pairings featured in this story will be Hope/Lightning, Snow/Serah, Fang/Vanille, Noel/Yeul, and I took... some license, let us say, to pair up Sazh/Chocolina. You'll see what I mean, though I guess you can imagine._

_Also, I don't know how frequently I would be able to update this. As I've said, it depends on my studies and all. So please, be patient. I'll try to work on it as frequently as I can. _

_So, this being said... Let us begin!_

* * *

**Final Fantasy XIII α|Ω_  
_**

* * *

**Prologue**

******| α |**

_**Writing the Past**_

* * *

The eyes of the small publishing house's editor-in-chief finished reading the last page of the draft he has in his hands. He made a small smile when he laid it on the table carefully and stared at it for a few seconds with a thoughtful silence.

"I'm impressed," he said, looking up. "Although I have to say, this isn't news, Miss Farron."

The person sitting in front of the chief editor showed a half smile with a bit of nervousness. She was a beautiful young woman in her early twenties, with a heart-shaped face, fair skin and facial features both strong and gentle. Her hair, of an unusual shade of pink, fell in waves over her left shoulder, and her spiky bangs partially covered her eyes which were of a pristine ice-blue color. She wore a loose white blouse over a shirt of the same color and brown pants. A leather bracelet adorned her left wrist.

"Not a big deal," she replied modestly, and in her eyes was a spark of pride. "I'm still fairly new in literature stuff, Mr. Gaules."

"That's why I'm so impressed. Never before a novel writer presented me the kind of scripts you bring, let alone finish a trilogy so great as yours in just over a year and a half," the chief editor raised his eyebrows and smiled. "If I weren't this fascinated over your work, I'd worry about your health. It seems you only live to write."

She let out a small chuckle.

"Well, you're not that wrong. With my novels and my work at the newspaper, I hardly leave my house and my computer. I have to make a living after all."

"I'm sure someday you'll be able to live only with your novels' earnings, Miss Farron. The first two books of your trilogy sold extremely well for someone like you who is new in this field," the editor raised the draft, smiling. "And I'm sure this one will be an outright success. You have no idea how grateful I am for publishing your work."

She smiled back, a bit embarrassed.

"It's me who is grateful to you for giving me the chance."

The editor-in-chief Jerôme Gaules raised from his chair, placed the draft in a drawer of his desk and headed for a small liquor cabinet in the corner of his office. He pulled out two glasses and a bottle of apple liqueur and brought them to the table.

"We must celebrate the closure of the best trilogy this house has ever published," Mr. Gaules proclaimed, filling the glasses of liquor and giving one to the young woman. "Cheers for your bright future, Miss Farron."

She accepted with a nod, and after taking the glass politely she drank its contents. She frowned slightly at the bitter taste of the liquor.

She still wasn't quite used to the flavors of that world… "

I've been thinking, we should do something to make you a more renowned writer," Mr. Gaules said, pulling her back to reality. "This year and a half has been productive enough to be able to afford a promotion for you."

"A promotion?" the young woman repeated blankly.

The chief editor nodded, smiling.

"Of course. It'd be a real shame if the last book of your trilogy didn't sell enough because not many people know about you so I thought we could arrange a presentation tour. What do you think?"

She blinked in surprise. A presentation tour? She remembered the tours that happened in the place she came from. They were usually extravagant and crowded. This isn't going to be a comfortable situation for her.

"What kind of tour are we talking about?" she asked to make sure. Perhaps the habits of that world were somewhat different when it comes to this kind of thing. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Supposed to do?" Mr. Gaules seemed to find the question a bit strange; the young woman cursed to herself, fearing she had said too much. "Nothing special. Just go to a place in a city, present your book, answer the questions from fans and sign their books for them."

_'It doesn't sound too compromising'_, she thought, relieved. Though that part of dealing with fans… She hoped they wouldn't be too gushing.

"And… how have you planned the tour, Mr. Gaules? Where would I go?"

"Well, we can't afford a tour around the continent," the editor admitted, scratching his head. "We're a small company, you know. But we can do something in the neighboring countries. I thought of presenting your book here in Galya, then in Engarth and Hisperia. In the capitals, of course."

She had to take a moment to remember the maps of her country she had seen during that year and a half. Hisperia was the country just below Galya, and Engarth had to be those large islands to the west.

When she realized that last detail, her eyes widened and she placed a hand to her chest. A sudden emotion filled her heart at the thought of being able to go there without worrying about how much the trip would cost…

"So… would you pay the transport?" she asked to be sure; Mr. Gaules nodded. "And the presentation, it'd be in the capitals, right?"

"That's correct. Sirpe, Dradim and Lodin. They're really important tourist areas as well. The more people we attract, the better your book will sell."

She knew that Sirpe was the capital of Galya. And Dradim had to be the one for Hisperia. By elimination, Lodin would be Engarth's capital… and then she remembered that there were two different countries in those islands. She thought it was the one she had in mind, but it wasn't.

She cursed to herself. They hadn't seen each other in months, and she had never been to _his_ city. It was always_ him_ who came.

"Well, Miss Farron," Mr. Gaules said, interrupting the course of her thoughts. "What do you say? Is it okay for you?"

"Oh, yes…" she said, trying to catch up to the track of conversation. "I'd just like to ask… Would it be possible to change one of the cities for something else?"

The chief editor looked surprised, but he nodded. "Yes, of course. Do you have any particular place in mind?"

"Well, the truth is that, if it isn't a problem, I'd like to…" the young woman took a deep breath. She was a bit hesitant, but she continued. "I'd like to have the presentation, instead of Lodin, to be in that other country… Caltire… what was its capital called again?"

"Ah, you mean Lidbun?" Mr. Gaules kindly helped her, since he was aware of her difficulties with geography.

"Yeah, that one. Lidbun." she repeated, smiling as she remembered the name of the city. "Is it possible, Mr. Gaules?"

The man crossed his arms thoughtfully. She felt like crossing her fingers behind her back.

"It'd be definitely less expensive for us if we did it there instead of Lodin," Mr. Gaules said. "But Lidbun is far from being as cosmopolitan as Lodin. Is there any particular reason you'd like it to be there?"

Yes. Of course there was one. But she wouldn't tell that to him. So the young woman simply shrugged.

"I like Lidbun."

Mr. Gaules accepted her answer with a hearty laugh.

"Well, as the writer wishes. If you prefer Lidbun, Miss Farron, Lidbun it will be. So, are we all set then?" he asked, holding out a hand.

The young writer Claire Farron couldn't help but show a broad smile when she shook hands with her chief editor, a slight blush staining her cheeks at the thought of the impending trip and reunion.

"It'll be a pleasure."

She closed her eyes briefly, feeling excitement taking over her heart. It was such a fantastic feeling, the happiness that always overcame her every time she was going to meet one of her friends. Her family.

The only people who truly know her. After all, they were the only ones in Zemya who were reborn in that time, when no one remembered how humanity came to that world anymore.

She smiled, somewhat ironically, when she left the building of the Rose-D'Aurore publishing house and watched the streets of Salins, the closest town to the house she had in the region of Reilor. It was the part of Galya in which she was reborn in that new and unknown world, and where she had lived for a little bit over a year and a half.

Maybe Jerôme Gaules thought she was a brilliant writer, but the truth was that she just wrote the chronicles of mankind, in the trilogy entitled _"The Tale of the Crystals_".

The story of a young warrior named Lightning.

Her own story.


	2. I - A New Life

_**A/N:** Hey there! Welcome to the first chapter of the story! I'm sorry for making you wait, but as I've told you, the progress of this story highly depends of my university schedule and projects and all that stuff. Not to mention inspiration, but that's another problem. _

_I'd want to answer some reviews, that spoke of the description style, and stuff. I agree, I have a somewhat awkward writing style, but it's mostly part of the translation. I'm not a native English speaker, so I write this story first in Spanish, and then I have to translate it. I have a proofreader that saves my life and your eyes from my terrible mistakes, but since I translate it myself at first, some things sadly still are visible. I'll try to do my best and make your reading as easy as possible!_

_Well, this being said, there goes the first chapter! I hope you'll enjoy it! ;D_

* * *

**Final Fantasy XIII α|Ω**

* * *

******| I |**

******A New Life**

* * *

Beginnings were never easy, the inhabitants of that world said. It was more of a saying itself than common sense, certainly, but they were quite right.

Especially for those who had just arrived from another world. Or universe.

Claire Farron, or "Lightning", as her friends knew her, was one of those people. They were only ten people in total who had just arrived at that time period.

It was only over a year and a half that she and her friends came to the world its inhabitants called Zemya. Their souls were reborn in different parts of the planet where they all would settle down.

Lightning remembered pretty well her first contact with this new and foreign world. She had opened her eyes, alone, wearing different and strange clothing in the middle of a green meadow near the town of Salins. A middle-aged couple found her, wandering disoriented by what turned out to be their terrains. They spoke in a language she had never heard before, but she could mysteriously understand to some extent and when she replied, she realized she also could speak it relatively fluently.

Although theoretically all humans were reborn in this world, Lightning wasn't sure she wanted them to know how and why she got there. The fact this couple spoke in such a strange language for her and seemed so comfortable in that world was what made her proceed with caution.

The young writer smiled to herself as she recalled her arrival to the new world. That kind couple took her in to their home for a few months until Lightning found a job in the local newspaper and she could afford the rent of a small house on the outskirts of Salins. While adapting to the new environment she also devoted herself in finding her friends where she was helped in part by her hosts when she had to use the technology of that world for the task.

Fortunately, it seemed that everyone had the same idea. In just two months, the ten friends had met again. In Galya, in fact, the country in which she lived.

The reason was the long-awaited wedding of her younger sister Serah, and her fiancé, Snow Villiers.

Lightning's smile lit up her face in the dim light of the sunset while rummaging in her pockets, looking for the keys of her house. It wasn't only wonderful to see her sister get married at last after so many years and so many ups and downs, but also to be reunited with all her friends in the new world.

A particular reunion besides the one with her sister came into mind.

Lightning blushed slightly, entering her home while reminiscing. Her smile became warmer, though a little bit sad. It was always the same whenever she thought about it. It was a barrage of contradictory feelings.

The first two months in that world felt long and cold for her with his absence. She had felt lonely and lost. She almost missed him more by her side than her sister. The recent experiences –at the time– she lived had made her realize how much she needed him.

He was the only one of her friends who she didn't find first. He found her instead.

Lightning kept that letter which had magically arrived to the house of her hosts like a precious treasure. And yes, there was literally magic involved. It wasn't surprising coming from him, who was the most skilled and powerful mage of their gang and time. Even though the atmosphere of the world wasn't very receptive to magic, she and their friends still had some of their powers.

The young woman smiled wearily when she finally got to her bedroom and flopped on the bed. Hard to believe that only a year and a half had passed. Her life in their homeworld seemed so far away from her… As if it was just part of a past life.

In a way, it was. Their lives in Zemya were a new beginning. A new life.

* * *

Lightning and her friends were, in many ways, different from the humans of Zemya. Indeed, they shared the same origin as humanity. But they were the only ones still alive who had witnessed it.

Humans had been reborn in Zemya– both the living and the dead– at the time the Apocalypse struck. They arrived in different timelines, all prior to the time in which she and her comrades arrived. That made them the only humans left who remembered what had happened in past times. All the rest were descendants of the former inhabitants of their homeworld.

In addition, there was the fact that they could still use magic. It wasn't nearly as strong as before, but considering their new situation, it was more than enough. After all, they no longer had to keep fighting.

Not to mention that Lightning and her friends could be considered "living fossils". Only two people in their group weren't older than a thousand years, and they still surpassed the five-century mark.

Lightning sighed, lying face up on her bed. Whenever she remembered everything, she often ended up having a headache. Back then a lot of things were happening and she had no choice but to keep moving forward. She had a hard time processing those events in her head now when her new life was so quiet and different…

But she didn't want to forget them. In fact, in those first months she spent with the couple that took her in, she was so overwhelmed by everything that had happened that the idea of writing struck her. She would spend hours and hours venting the memories of a thousand years in words. It later gave birth to a new passion within her and became the reason why she got the job at the local newspaper.

The truth was, though, that she would've not presented her work to the publishing house if _he_ hadn't encouraged her to do so…

A weary smile crossed her face. Lightning caught herself thinking about him many times when she wasn't busy at work. It was true that she thought of all her friends and her sister… But perhaps it was because he was the only one who had no one by his side. Like her.

She quickly shook her head, laughing softly under her breath. To think that the woman who was a mighty warrior chosen by the gods was now craving for a bit of company…

But this was another world, another life. The memories remained, but things had changed. The strangest thing was that she hadn't had too much trouble adapting to that life. In another time she'd have considered inconceivable to ever stop fighting.

The sound of the phone ringing from her bedside table startled her, pulling her out of her reverie. She sat immediately, her heart pounding, and looked at the screen of the device to see the number. Her excitement subsided a bit when she recognized it, somewhat disappointed, but that feeling immediately was replaced by a warm joy.

She picked it up –she wasn't used to how big the phones were in the new world compared to the ones in their homeworld–, her voice a bit hoarse after a long time without using it:

"Serah?"

"Hi, Sis!" the voice of her little sister came through the device. "Did I call you at a bad time?"

"Not at all," she smiled, clearing her throat. "I was just resting up a bit. How about you? Are you doing well?"

"Snow is well as always, and he's always concerned that I am as well, so we never have any problems about that," Serah laughed cheerfully. "And you? Aren't you going on a tour soon?"

It had been nearly three weeks since Lightning accepted the proposal to present the final novel of her trilogy in her country and in the two neighboring ones. Although, at the request of the young woman, Caltire would be the country of the Breitnan Islands where the presentation would be held, instead of Engarth.

"Yes, within a week. Mr. Gaules is driving me crazy with all the trip planning, and I have to organize countless documents I need to get into what they call 'planes'," Lightning huffed. "I don't trust those things. I wish there were airships in this world."

"Everyone said they weren't so different," Serah told her soothingly. "Well, everyone except Sazh, of course, but he was an airship pilot after all, right?"

"To be fair, Sazh simply likes to complain", Lightning chuckled. "But it's the fastest stuff they have here. Not that I have much choice…"

She heard Serah laughing as well through the phone.

"Then, you're going within a week… Which city will you visit first? Maybe Snow and I can go and see you."

"Sirpe is the first. From there, I'll take the plane to Lidbun, I'll stay a week there, and then to Dradim," Lightning said. "I called Fang and Vanille the other day, and they said they'll come for me to sign a book for them."

"Ah, if Sirpe is the first you're going to, then maybe we can go!" Serah happily said, and then she added somewhat mischievously. "Have you told him yet that you're coming? I wouldn't have thought you would be able to keep the secret for so long."

Lightning blushed to herself. Serah knew too much about that particular topic, and there was no need to explain to her why things were still as they were.

"I told you I wanted it to be a surprise," she replied, a bit embarrassed. "He's the one who always comes, and it's the first time I can go…"

"He's only come twice. Those are the only times you two had seen each other, by the way," Serah's voice sounded exasperated. "I can't believe you haven't met more times than that."

"We don't exactly live close," Lightning grumbled; it wasn't the first time her sister tried to pry the details of their 'relationship'. "And it's not as simple as you think, Serah… There are still a lot of things we have yet to talk about."

"I guess it's relieving that you call each other as often as you do," Serah sighed.

"C'mon now, may I know why are you so interested in my love life?" Lightning half-jokingly protested. Even though it wasn't like meeting in person, it was true that they kept a fluid contact via phone. They called about only three times a week since he had insisted in reducing those times when the young woman started having difficulties to pay the bill; phone calls between Galya and Caltire weren't exactly cheap.

"I've already gotten married, sis! Now it's your turn! And I know you want to as well, you can't fool me."

"No way. Getting married? Me? Long-term commitments aren't my thing", Lightning toyed with a lock of hair, a bit flushed. "I'm okay with just a relationship."

"At least we've made a breakthrough! You no longer refuse flatly to a relationship," Serah's voice sounded triumphant. "I'm satisfied now. I'll have to thank Hope somehow."

"That's cute." Lightning grumbled, though she knew she really didn't feel that way. She actually preferred not to think about it because whenever she did, she felt so lonely and cursed her lack of tact. It had been one of the reasons why her relationship with him hadn't progressed… and the young woman found herself regretting it. She didn't want to talk about it with Serah either, so she changed the topic. "And what about Snow? He's not there?"

"No, he's still at work. You know he doesn't come home until night," her sister answered, a little bothered by the change of subject. "But he always tells me to pass some 'brother love' to you from him."

"Tell him the feeling is mutual."

"And that he's still waiting for you to give us a nephew."

"Add a punch to the pack."

Serah let out a short laugh.

"Do you have any news from the others? I haven't talked to them, besides Fang and Vanille," Lightning said, relieved to leave behind the previous topic.

"Now that you mention it, Noel and Yeul called us a few days ago. I haven't heard much from the rest these days…" Serah sounded a bit sad. "Almost since we got married. I guess it's because we live so far away from each other… Did Fang and Vanille tell you something interesting?"

"We didn't talk that much, they called me just before dinner and you know how Vanille isn't one who likes to disturb. But they're doing well with their farm or whatever they have. Maybe when I go to Hisperia I'll stay over them, though I think they live a bit far from Dradim."

For a while, the two sisters talked about their friends, and they recalled anecdotes about their lives in their homeworld. For Lightning, talking to Serah was an invaluable help in her moments of loneliness. She was happy overall with her new life, but sometimes her small house seemed too empty…

She was thinking about it again. Lightning sighed. She couldn't help it, and the worst part was she couldn't do anything about it.

"Lightning?" Serah asked, somewhat worried. The young writer realized she had fallen silent who knows for how long.

"I'm fine. No need to worry."

There was a brief pause. Lightning thought Serah didn't quite believe her. In fact, she had the feeling that her sister knew what was going on.

"You must be tired…" Serah said, although there was a flicker of amusement in her voice. "I'd better let you rest. I got a feeling you haven't even packed your luggage yet."

Lightning protested, but the truth was her sister was right. She had made a list of things she had to take with her, but she hadn't yet started filling her suitcase. She hadn't gone on a trip since her childhood, and back then her mother was the one who took care of it. She hadn't decided yet what she would need and what she wouldn't.

In certain moments, the young woman admitted that she still felt like a child inside.

Once she said goodbye to Serah, Lightning hung up and sighed, lying sideways in bed and staring longingly at the device. She liked her new life, free at last from the whims of the gods… but at times like these she almost wanted to go back in time and make amends. At least the ones concerning _him_.

_'We ended up back at the point where we started,'_ Lightning thought, annoyed.

She wanted to change the circumstance. She didn't want to be alone. Not anymore.

But until he hasn't overcome the past, she could only wait… And she had already been waiting for a year and a half for that promise to be fulfilled.

Even though it was a new life, some things hadn't changed at all.

* * *

At a safe distance from the small house, a tall figure was framed in the last lights of dusk.

The still figure observed the window on the first floor, the one that led to Lightning's bedroom.

The figure looked up, its shoulders tensing, as if it sensed something in the air of the night. Something disturbing, something that shouldn't be _there_.

"… The promised time is coming forth."


End file.
